Russia may increase domestic gas tariffs by more than 10% next year and electricity tariffs by around 5%, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday, citing Kremlin aide Arkady Dvorkovich.
The report seemed to contradict a statement earlier Tuesday by Minister of Economic Development Elvira Nabiullina, who said energy tariffs will see minimal adjustment in 2010 and that gas and electricity prices will rise by a similar amount.
Amid Russia's worst financial crisis in 10 years, the government has been forced to slow the elimination of subsidized tariffs for both gas and electricity.